Data converters are included in many types of instruments and systems to provide digital representations of signals that are applied to the data converters. For example, a data converter provides digital samples of applied input signals that can be processed to represent the signals on a display or other output device.
The measurement bandwidth and measurement sensitivity of a conventional data converter are typically limited by the bandwidth and the dynamic range, respectively, of an amplifier and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) within the data converter (shown in FIG. 1). Accordingly, to improve these performance parameters, there is a need for a data converter that has a wide bandwidth and high dynamic range, that is also suitable for inclusion in a variety of instruments or systems. There is also a need in data acquisition systems for data converters that can acquire samples of applied input signals over an operating frequency range that extends from DC to greater than 10 Gigahertz, for example, which can be difficult to achieve using conventional data converters.